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EC number: 200-662-2 | CAS number: 67-64-1
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data
Endpoint summary
Administrative data
Description of key information
LD50 oral: rat 5800 mg/kg
LD50 dermal: guinea pig, rabbit at least 7400 mg/kg
LC50 inhalation: rat 3 hr 132000 mg/m3; rat 4 hr 76000 mg/m3
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Acute toxicity: via oral route
Endpoint conclusion
- Dose descriptor:
- LD50
- Value:
- 5 800 mg/kg bw
Acute toxicity: via inhalation route
Endpoint conclusion
- Dose descriptor:
- LC50
- Value:
- 76 000 mg/m³ air
Acute toxicity: via dermal route
Endpoint conclusion
- Dose descriptor:
- LD50
- Value:
- 7 400 mg/kg bw
Additional information
Acute oral toxicity
The oral LD50 of acetone was 5800 mg/kg bw in female rats (Key study: Freeman and Hayes, 1985). In a further reliable study, the LD50 value in young adult male and female rats was 7190 mg/kg bw (Supporting study: Kimura et al., 1971).
Acute dermal toxicity
There is no key study available for acute dermal exposure. Two reliable studies, which were not performed according to important criteria of today standard methods, can be used in a weight of evidence approach as these studies indicate that the acute dermal toxicity of acetone is low and would not lead to classification.After application of a minimum of three dosages on the clipped intact or abraded skin of groups of 4 male guinea pigs or on the abraded skin of groups of 4 male or female rabbits under an occlusive dressing, the dermal LD50 was found to be higher than 9.4 mL acetone/kg bw (ca. 7,400 mg/kg bw) in both species (Roudabush et al., 1965). With a dermal LD50 of more than 20 mL/kg (ca. 15,700 mg/kg) acetone was practically non-toxic to male New Zealand rabbits during a 24-hour occlusive exposure (Smyth et al., 1962).
Acute inhalation toxicity
There is no key study available for acute inhalation exposure. Two reliable studies, which were not performed according to important criteria of today standard methods, can be used in a weight of evidence approach as these studies indicate that the acute inhalation toxicity of acetone is low and would not lead to classification. The 3-hr LC50 in male Sprague-Dawley rats was calculated with a value of 132 mg/L air (55,700 ppm) acetone for whole-body exposure. The critical effect leading to death is CNS depression and narcosis (Bruckner and Peterson, 1981). In this study the duration of exposure was shorter than the standard 4 hr exposure. Within 3 hrs of exposure no mortalities were observed up to a concentration of 60 mg/L. Based on additional tests for CNS depression by measuring impairment of unconditioned performance and reflexes, an approximately linear time-response relationship for depressive effects was observed up to 3 hrs exposure to 30 to 60 mg/L. If the performance scores of these depressive effects are extrapolated to a 4 hr exposure period, there are no indications that prolongation of exposure to 4 hrs will lead to CNS depressive effects causing death in the concentration range of 30 to 45 mg/L. Consequently, the 4-hr LC50 value is expected to be above the value of 20 mg/L, the critical value for classification according to EU regulation 1272/2008.
A study from 1959, applying an old technology of vapor generation with whole-body exposure of groups of 6 female Carworth rats in 9 -L desiccator chambers, reported a 4-h LC50 value of 76.0 mg/L air (no analytical verification of concentrations and no further observations reported) (Pozzani et al., 1959). This study confirms the relative low acute inhalation toxicity of acetone resulting in no classification. Acute exposure via inhalation was shown to induce sensory irritation in humans and in mice (for details see Section 7.9.3).
Human experience
The experience with human cases of intoxication (for details see Section 7.10.3) confirms the low acute toxicity of acetone (Overviews to be found in: American Chemistry Council Acetone Panel, 2003; Morgott, 2001; OECD, 1999; WHO, 1998). For the development of any overt signs of toxicity in humans, accidental exposures to extremely large amounts of acetone by inhalation of vapour or ingestion of liquid are necessary (e.g. several thousand ppm of acetone vapour, or ingestion resulting in acetone blood levels up to several thousand mg/L). Respiratory tract irritation is the most sensitive indicator of acetone overexposure. The most noticeable systemic effect is a generalized central nervous system depression. No cases of fatality are known and acetone has a low potential for causing chronic or delayed health effects. The doses at which these effects are seen is well above the OEL or the STEL values.
A high dose of acetone (ca. 10 g/kg bw) was rapidly eliminated by an infant (9 kg bw) with clinical signs and neurological symptoms returning to normal within 4 days after intoxication and without neurodevelopmental sequelae (Gamis and Wassermann, 1988).
After a 6-hr exposure of human volunteers to acetone the LOAEL for significant effects as experience of sensory irritation of the nose, eyes, throat and trachea, and changes of hematological parameters was 500 ppm or 1190 mg/m3, the NOAEL was 250 ppm or 594 mg/m3 (Matsushita et al., 1969a) (for details see Section 7.10.5).
Justification for classification or non-classification
Oral toxicity: no classification according to EU regulation 1272/2008 as LD50 from key study is distinctly above the critical value of 2000 mg/kg
Dermal toxicity: no classification according to EU regulation 1272/2008 is to be expected as based on weight of evidence approach and on oral LD50, the dermal LD50 is distinctly above the critical value of 2000 mg/kg
Inhalation toxicity: no classification according to EU regulation 1272/2008 based on the LC50 resulting from a weight of evidence approach: the 4 hr LC50 is distinctly above the critical value of 20,000 mg/m3 for acetone vapors.
Labelling: R67, Vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness.
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